Eczema: Can CBD oil help to treat and alleviate itchy symptoms of eczema?

ECZEMA is typically treated using medicated creams and ointments, but more and more people are turning to natural products instead. CBD oil has been claimed by some to relieve the symptoms of eczema, but does it really work?

Eczema, or atopic dermatitis, is a common skin condition which causes the skin to become dry, cracked, sore, inflamed, itchy and red. The condition is usually treated with topical creams and ointments, some of which an be purchased over-the-counter while others must be prescribed by a doctor. People with eczema are increasingly turning towards natural remedies for the treatment of the condition, especially those who don’t want to put chemicals on their skin. One product which some people claim can alleviate the symptoms of eczema is CBD oil. But does it really work?

Tips for living with a skin condition

Nine things you should know about coping with skin conditions.

Resist the itch - Eczema is almost always itchy no matter where it occurs on the body and although it may be tempting to scratch affected areas of the skin, this should be avoided as much as possible

In a human trial for patients with eczema, an endocannabinoid cream improved severity of itch by an average of 60 per cent among subjects.

Twenty per cent of subjects were able to stop their topical immunomodulators, 38 per cent ceased using their oral antihistamines, and 33.6 per cent no longer felt the need to maintain their topical steroid regimen by the end of the study.

The National Eczema Association warns, however, that more research needs to be done to understand the risks and benefits of cannabinoids in dermatology.

CBD oil can be bought from pharmacies and health shops without a prescription.

The NHS warns against buying CBD oil online, as products sold and bought over the internet from unreputable sources may be illegal to possess or supply. They may not necessarily be safe to use and may contain THC.

The health body also advises that CBD oils sold in health stores are not guaranteed to be of good quality and tend to only contain very small amounts of CBD - making their effects unclear.

Speak to your doctor, if you have eczema, about the potential treatments available.